After 162/163 grueling games, 10 of the best teams in Major League Baseball remain. Each team vying for the coveted 2013 World Series Championship. As the level of competition rises, who will be the last team standing?
2013 MLB Playoff Odds & World Series Predictions
*Texas Rangers
After a roller coaster ride of a September when the Texas Rangers began 2-12, lost the AL West lead, and for a time dropped right out of the Wild Card race before going on a seven game winning streak to end the season on a high note — Texas has new life. The Rangers now face the Tampa Bay Rays in a play-in game for the opportunity to play the Cleveland Indians in the Wild Card play-in game.
Prediction: Loss vs Rays in tie-breaker game
*Tampa Bay Rays
After holding a Wild Card spot for an entire season it seemed, the Rays faltered at the final few hurdles which allowed the Indians to overtake them and the Rangers to tie them in the standings. The Rays elected to be the road team in the event of the tiebreaker game which has come into fruition, a decision which it might yet regret.
Prediction: Win vs Rangers in tie-breaker game; Loss vs Indians in Wild Card
Cincinnati Reds
The Reds squandered their opportunity of getting home field advantage for the Wild Card game after getting swept by the Pirates. While the Reds (now losers of five straight) aren’t heading to the postseason in full swing, anything can happen in a one-off game.
Prediction: Loss vs Pirates in Wild Card game
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians needed every single one of their 21 September wins in order to claw their way back to the Wild Card. Baseball’s hottest team will now look to ride that wave of momentum to the Wild Card game against the Rangers/Rays and beyond.
Prediction: Loss vs Red Sox in ALDS (4-1)
Atlanta Braves
With a playoff berth secured virtually months ago, Atlanta took its feet off the pedal in the last few weeks. Their pedestrian play allowed the Cardinals to swoop in for the #1 seed in the NL. The Braves will take comfort in the fact that leadoff hitter Jason Heyward is back to get on base for the Braves’ crew of sluggers (180 home runs, 1st in NL).
Prediction: Loss vs Dodgers in NLDS (3-1)
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates ended the season strong, winning 5 of their last 6 games, including a three-game sweep of the Reds in the final series of the season. Pittsburgh is now assured of hosting their first playoff game in over 22 years against the Reds in the Wild Card. But with outstanding pitching (3.28 ERA, 3rd in NL) and an effective offense, this might not be their last playoff game this year.
Prediction: Win vs Reds in Wild Card game; Loss vs Cardinals in NLDS (3-2)
Oakland Athletics
Moneyball or no, Oakland is back in the playoffs as the AL West winners. The A’s used a strong 19-8 stretch in September to overtake the Rangers in the division. Their combination of power (186 home runs, 3rd in AL) and pitching (3.58 ERA, 2nd in AL) can come in handy in a short series.
Prediction: Loss vs Tigers in ALDS (3-2)
Detroit Tigers
While the Tigers won’t enter the postseason with the best form (Detroit was .500 in September), they will still enter with one of the best starting rotations (1st in strikeouts) as well as one of the best offenses (4.9 runs, 2nd in AL), led by arguably the game’s best hitter, Miguel Cabrera (.348 BA, 44 HRs). However, the Tigers will be wary of Cabrera’s health; he has missed 14 games already due to an assortment of injuries.
Prediction: Win vs A’s in ALDS (3-2); Loss vs Red Sox in ALCS (4-1)
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals finished strong this September, as they clinched the NL Central for the third straight season and are now the #1 seed in the NL. Allen Craig will likely miss the entire postseason but Matt Adams has filled in quite nicely as the most potent lineup in the league (4.8 runs per game, 1st in NL) continues to chug along.
Prediction: Win vs Pirates in NLDS (3-2); Loss vs Dodgers in NLCS (4-2)
Boston Red Sox
With a solid 16-9 record in September, the Red Sox secured the #1 seed in the American League. As such, the AL East champs will have home field advantage throughout the postseason; Boston was an AL-best 53-28 at Fenway Park. The return of Jacoby Ellsbury will only bolster an offense that led the league with 5.3 runs per game.
Prediction: Win vs Indians in ALDS (4-1); Win vs Tigers in ALCS (4-1); Loss vs Dodgers in World Series (4-3)
Los Angeles Dodgers
Whether it was due to complacency brought on by the double-digit lead on the division or just regression to the mean, the Dodgers cooled off significantly from their epic July-August run. But they can just as easily cool off any opposition with their very good pitching (3.26 ERA, 2nd in the NL), while the electric Yasiel Puig can spark their offense back to life at any time.
If this Dodgers team is capable of getting hot to the tune of 39-8, then winning the 11 games needed to claim the franchise’s first World Series in 25 years doesn’t seem too farfetched.
Prediction: Win vs Braves in NLDS (3-1); Win vs Cardinals in NLCS (4-2); Win vs Red Sox in World Series (4-2)
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